Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Acuna Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Acuna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $936 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,576 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,216 in Acuna, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% more than Acuna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Acuna are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Acuna 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$13.80 MX$241

-13.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$22.64 MX$396

88.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.96 MX$139

33.04%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.86 MX$50.0

26.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 MX$25.69

$1.06 MX$18.61

38.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.98 MX$17.16

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.41 MX$42.24

28.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.95 MX$69.2

12.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.53 MX$26.76

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$2.03 MX$35.53

-7.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.68 MX$29.47

-2.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.91 MX$50.9

-9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.99 MX$122

17.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.02 MX$87.8

65.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.57 MX$150

29.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.39 MX$41.90

10.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.45 MX$25.45

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.78 MX$31.17

11.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.95 MX$34.14

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.74 MX$30.52

2.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.44 MX$25.16

51.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.05 MX$18.41

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$1.25 MX$21.92

-16.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.08 MX$71.4

-2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$10.16 MX$178

0.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.55 MX$27.19

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.76 MX$48.31

-9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.66 MX$11.47

-21.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$23.48 MX$411

14.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.69 MX$47.12

16.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.59 MX$27.83

50.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$8.49 MX$149

-63.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.24 MX$21.61

2.42%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$17.8K MX$311.9K

73.30%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$18.2K MX$318.1K

28.27%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.0 MX$1,435

$57.5 MX$1,006

42.63%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.45 MX$393

$22.55 MX$395

-0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$37.11 MX$649

-20.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$28.25 MX$494

83.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$14.64 MX$256

27.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.17 MX$73.0

19.18%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$198 MX$3,462

$157 MX$2,754

25.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,662 MX$64.1K

43.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$46.13 MX$807

-21.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$40.03 MX$701

0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$86.0 MX$1,504

-7.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$82.0 MX$1,435

8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$296 MX$5,174

225.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$200 MX$3,498

132.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$822 MX$14.4K

94.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$624 MX$10.9K

93.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,732 MX$30.3K

127.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,367 MX$23.9K

371.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

11.48

-0.52%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Acuna: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $296 in Acuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Acuna. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $224 – making Acuna the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Acuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,405 in Acuna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acuna, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $936 in Acuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Acuna. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Acuna, where all-in costs run around $936, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Acuna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Acuna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Acuna. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.